Born May 13, 1901, in Beacon, Iowa, Bill Beardsley became the state’s 31st Governor—and remains the only one to die in office.
A pharmacist and small business owner, Beardsley entered politics in 1933, serving in the Iowa Senate and later the House of Representatives. He was elected Governor in 1948 after defeating Robert D. Blue in the Republican primary, running on a promise of a balanced state budget.
He was re-elected but chose not to seek a third term. On November 21, 1954, while returning from visiting his son at Iowa State University, Beardsley was killed in a car crash north of Des Moines—just weeks before leaving office.
He is buried in New Virginia Cemetery, remembered for his service and tragic end.
